Macaroni die



ug- 4, 1936- G. TANzl 2,049,754

MACARON DIE Filed Apri; s, 1934 INVENTOR Gulda rzza ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 4, 1936 Unirse. stares fr j.

.'l @FFICE MAcAnoNt DIE tion of New York Application April 5, 1934, serial Nb. '719,082

4 Claims.

This invention relates to dies for use in the production, by extrusion, of objects formed from a material having the tenacious characteristics of macaroni dough, an important intended use of 5 Vthe invention being to fabricate in rapid succession, a multiplicity of macaroni or noodles of conch-like shape,` with corrugated and frilled contours heretofore considered incapable -of prol duction by simple extrusion. It will or course be understood that the improved extrusion dies herein disclosed as lmeans tocarry the invention into effect, canalso be utilized in any field for which they areY adapted bythe nature of the improvements herein disclosed. l5 ,In pursuance. of. the` above general object, a more particular object of the invention is to producean `extruded object, such as va macaroni .or noodle, composed o f a broad stripof dough-like material, curled spirally .around an axis, transversely disposed relatively Ytothe length` of the strip,vthe completed article comprising a shell-like body with aY continuous convolute Wall, yWhich in longitudinal section at any plane normalk to itsl axis conforms substantially to an ogee curveone endv ofA this bodyterminating in a-rather closely Wound conical shape, While the other end of the body is characterized by a convexly swelling conch-shellshape, defined. at,its extremity by aA rather abr-uptspiral constriction,v beyond vvhichis- In pursuance of,

a flaring extension or ange.

the -inventiomthisfiange is of` extremely graceful formlpartaking of the shape of a rosette, ,consti-A tuted .by the` free spiralV end convolutions of the` strip frilled--throughout this endportion, and so resembling a furbelow, rulileorY ruche in eifect.

A'helical shaped macaroni product. of this` im proved type is desirable as an-.article of food, inasmuchlas its stripcomponent issubstantially'of uniformlthickness throughout, and can .be cooked 40 uniformly inminimum time, While thefcompact, highly convolute-charactervofthe body structure,

and the frilled flaring appendage thereto,.co

principles, some of which are recognized inthe extrusion artand others of which involve Wholly novel concepts, original with myself.

The above, and other features of the inven-y tion, are illustrated and described fully in the ac-V companying drawing and specification andare point out in the claims.

In the drawing:` g

Fig. l is a plan view of a macaroni extrusion die in the formation ofwhich this invention has been embodied, looking toward the observeor extrusion face of .the die.

Fig. 2 is a similar vieW of the reverse, or charging end of thesame die. Y

Fig.V 3` is a View in transverse, vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2... Y y

` Fig. 4 isa View in side elevation of the novel. extrusion product fabricated according to the present invention. v n

Fig. 5. is .a similar view. looking in the reverse direction. 20

Fig. 6 is a View in end elevation of the article ofFigs.5and6. i. 1 p

Fig. '7 is a view in perspective of the die of Figs. 1-3 With the dough in process of fabrication into the product of Figs. 4 6. Y 2

In a now-preferred embodiment of the invention selected for illustration and description, and referring `rst to the novel extrusion die shown in Figs. 1-3, inclusive, and Fig. 7 the part designated by the reference character D is a die-plug shown as a cup-shaped member having an open end il to Which the charge of macaroni dough or like tough, plastic materialmay be introduced, the other end being closedby a Wall I2 of sub- 35 stantial thickness, which is pierced by a slot designated generally by the referencecharacters, and Which serves as an orifice through which to extrudevby suitably applied pressure, the dough which has been fed into the open, cup-shaped end 40 ll of the die-plug D.v

In conventional practice, several die-plugs are mounted in a die-plate or disc (not shown), provided with recesses or sockets each corresponding in contour. With the exterior shape of the die-plug D, and this die-plate is fitted in the bottom of -apress-cylinder Which is then charged With dough, and a ram is moved into the cylinder to Jfeed the dough forward against `the die-plate and intothe cavities il of the several die-plugs D, passing thence throughthe several extrusion orices S. h

In the present instance, I have provided the die-plug with an extrusion orice adapted -to extrude a broad strip of stock having the general configuration of a numeral 1, and it is to be noted that the shank of this 'I has va rather pronounced arcuate shape, as shown at I3.

It is to be observed that the slot S is sensibly Wedge-shaped in cross-section, as shown in somewhat exaggerated fashion in Fig. 3, being slightly wider at the extrusion face of the die than at the charging face thereof; also that the relatively straight slot-end 20 is longer at the extrusion face than at the charging face. The extremity 20 at the extrusion face extends very nearly to the periphery of the die-plug, but the extremity of the slot S at the charging face terminates at the circle 8 which defines the boundary of a depression 9 in the charging face of the dieplug, surrounded by a shoulder III.

The additional thickness of the wall I2 at the region of this shoulder makes it possible to run the tool by which the slot S is formed at a depth suitable to open the slot S' just through the thickness of the wall I2 within the confines of the depression 9, and to continue the operation under the shoulder Ill without changing the length of the tool, thus forming that part of the extrusion slot at the end of 2i) which is closed on the charging side by the shoulder IB.

The effect of permitting the dough to spread into the extended end 20 of the extrusion slot is to slow up the extrusion at the region which forms the small conical end region I9 of the conch-shaped body portion of the product. (See Figs. 4 and 5.)

Reverting now to the charging face of the dieplug, it will be noted that the region 25 of the charging opening of the slot is widened to approximately the Width of the slot at the extrusion face, and that there is a'further widening of the charging opening of the slot at the region 26, and I have provided, in communication Awith this portion 26 an enlargement I4 in the form of a counter-slot or recess, which preferably extends to a considerable distanceV from the slot S and extends nearly through the wall I2, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the recess I4 is adapted to supply a greatly increased proportion of the material to the extrusion orice Vat the curved region I3, as compared with the supply fed through the narrower portions of the slot S.

The small, semi-circular extension I5, of the recess I4 beyond the Slot S' is of negligible importance, being, however, an advantage in forming the recess Ill, which is routed out with a round tool, and it may be that the presence of this slight extension aids in a uniform distribution to the curved slot portion I3, of the desired supply of material.

My die is further characterized by the novel combination, with the distinctive middle extrusion features just described, of a lesser enlargement I6, preferably of conical shape, as shown in Fig. 3, and formed around an axis coincident with the extremity s of the slot S', as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The conical enlargement I6 is shown as somewhat smaller in capacity than the enlargement I4, and extends very nearly through the wall I2, being in communication throughout its length with the slot end s which portion of the slot may be slightly narrower than the bend s' of the slot, i. e., that portion of the slot intermediate the curved portion I3 and the end portions.

In the operation of the die-plugs of the novel structure described, several of the die-plugs having been tted in a die-plate (not shown), and

the latter assembled inthe conventional manner with the cylinder and plunger of a macaroni press, the dough will enter the cavity II of each die-plug when its plunger is advanced to vapply pressure to the dough in the cavity II, and the dough will be extruded from the extrusion slot S in the manner illustrated in perspective in Fig. 7, the leading end of the extruded strip curling around toward the face of the die-plug as indicated, by reason ofthe larger amount of material and freer passage thereof afforded by the enlargement portion I4.

In this operation, the body or conch-like central shell portion I3 formed in free spiral convolutions of gradually increasing size around an axis extending transversely of the length of the broad strip being extruded, with the convolutions at one end I9 being more closely wound as they proceed from the relatively straight end portion 20 of the slot S', so that the tip 2i, of the product is conical in shape.

The body portion I8, formed by the curved slot-portion I3, swells out in the shape characteristic of a conch-shell, and it will be observed that in the instance illustrated, the characteristic generatrix curve of the strip component is approximately that of an ogee curve, upon any cross-section of the strip lying in any plane normalto the axis of generation.

In this body portion are formed by the simple act of extrusion, corrugations 22, like those of a melon, which are due, in part at least, to the slight retardation of the leading end Vof the strip portion escaping at the curved portion I3 through the middle discharge portion of the V-shaped slot, as it curls into contact with the face of the die. (See Fig. 7.) Y

The flaring extension 23 of the product, which is a novel characteristic thereof, in pursuance of the invention, is formed by that portion of the Slot S', between the end s and the bend s', this bend in the slot forming the deep constriction 24 in the material which defines that end of the body, while the excess of material and freer passage provided by the'end enlargement I6, a1- ready described, causes the frill formation in the flaring end 23.

All of these phases of the unitary extrusion operation cooperate and result in the formation of the type of article illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive. y

When'viewed from the aspect shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the product exhibits the shape characteristic of a conch-shell, with the added effect of the terminal frill or ruffle 23, which is an entirely novel feature characteristic alone of my improved product.

This frill takesthe aspect of a rosette when viewed endwise as shown in Fig. 6, and renders the product an extremely attractive viand, the free spiral convolutions of the rosette, and their frilled appearance lending an enhanced effect to the same.

The compact spiral structure formed by the coiled strip, which is of substantially uniform thickness throughout, gives access to the cooking fluid, so that it is possible to cook these macaronis or noodles quickly and uniformly; and the crevices between the convolutions of the body I8, and in the corrugations 22, and in the neck 24, and frills 23, serve to entrain an optimum amount of sauce, which makes the article an unusually toothsome viand.

While there may be desirably some variations in proportion and contour provided for by Vsuitable structural variations in the die-plug, it is to be noted that, after each completedarticle of macaroni has been severed, (as by a suitable knife, not shown), in the conventional manner, and at the stage of the operation indicated in Fig. 7, it Will present substantially the appearance shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, and if desired it may be aided to assume a closely coiled effect by rolling the articles loosely back and forth on a shaking screen, according to the method disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 679,667.

I claim:

l. An extrusion die of the class described, having a Wall With an extrusion orifice having the general contour of the numeral 'l and adapted to produce, by simple extrusion, a broad strip of trough, dough-like material coiled spirally upon itself in the form of a conch-shell, having at one end a conical Winding and at its other end a flaring extension divided from said shell or body portion by a deep constriction.

2. An extrusion die of the class described, having a Wall of substantial thickness formed with an extrusion slot extending through said Wall and terminating in an extrusion orice having the general shape of the numeral 1, the slot being of sensibly greater length at said extrusion orifice than at the charging end of said slot, and said slot being adapted to produce, by simple extrusion, a broad strip of tough, dough-like material coiled spirally upon itself in the form of a conch-shell, having at one end a conical Winding and at its other end a aring extension divided from said shell or body portion by a deep constriction, said flaring extension being further characterized by a deeply frilledY contour, presenting the effect of a spiral rulile or rosette When viewed end-on, the convolutions forming said rosette being spaced freely from each other to aiford interstices to entrain cooking fluid and sauce.

3. An extrusion die characterized by a cup,- shaped open charging end and by an end-wall provided with an extrusion orifice in the form of an elongated slot having generally the contour of the numeral 1, the shank of said 'I being arcuate in form. Y

4. An extrusion die characterized by a cupshaped open charging end and by an end-wall provided with an extrusion orice in the form of an elongated slot having generally the contour of the numeral l, the shank of said 'I being arcuate in form, and enlargements at the short end, and at said arcuate portion respectively, both in the charging orice of said die.

GUIDO TANZI. 

